Rio Maria Bulletin (Volume XI, Number 5)
December 2001

At the present time the situation in Rio Maria is extremely tense because of the assassination of an advisor of the former mayor, Agemiro Gomes, on November 4, and the return to Rio Maria of the escaped gunman José Serafim Sales, also known as "Barrerito," who had been sentenced to twenty-five years in prison for assassinating Expedito Ribeiro de Souza, president of the Union of Rural Workers of Rio Maria.

We are asking for letters, faxes, or e-mail messages to be sent to the Minister of Justice and the Governor of the State of Pará, demanding immediate measures. A suggested letter is enclosed.

1) Exmo. Sr.

Dr. Paulo Sérgio Pinheiro
Secretario dos Direitos Humanos
Ministério da Justiça
Esplanada dos Ministérios - BL.T 4º Andar
70664-900 - Brasília - DF
Fax: (61) 223 2260
Email: direitos.humanos@mj.gov.br

Dear Dr. Pinheiro:

2) Exmo Sr.

Dr. Almir José de Oliveira Gabriel
Palácio dos Despachos
Rodovia Augusto Montenegro, Km 09
66823-010 - Belém - PA
Fax: (91) 248-0133
Email: seegov@prodepa.gov.br

Dear Dr. Gabriel:

This is to espress serious concern about recent events in Rio Maria in the South of the State of Pará. During the past month several people in that town have caught sight of José Serafim Sales, also known as "Barrerito," who was convicted of having assassinated Expedito Ribeiro de Souza, president of the Union of Rural Workers of that city in 1991. In 1995 Barrerito was sentenced to twenty-five years of prison for that crime. However, in March of 2000, just a few months before the conviction of Jerônimo Alves de Amorim for ordering the murder, Barrerito escaped from the penitenciary of Marabá, apparently with the complicity of the guards.

There are serious suspicions that the presence of Barrerito in Rio Maria is linked to a violent conflict between the former mayor and rancher, Argemiro Gomes da Silva, who was removed from office this past September by the Town Council, and his political adversaries. It is believed that in November Barrerito assassinated Wilismar Pereira de Souza, a close advisor of the former mayor, with whom he had had a falling out over charges of corruption. In addition, Orlando Canuto, a town councilor and union leader, has been advised by the Military Police of Rio Maria that the presence of Barrerito constitutes a risk against his life. Orlando is the son of João Canuto, another union leader of Rio Maria, who was assassinated by local ranchers in 1985. The former mayor Argemiro Gomes da Silva is one of the two ranchers charged with ordering the assassination. It is expected that their trial will take place within the next few months.

It is public knowledge that in Rio Maria Barrerito has a support network of ranchers involved in the assassinations in previous years of rural workers. Barrerito was a gunman for the above-mentioned Jerônimo Alves de Amorim, who has very strong support from the authorities in the states of Pará and Goiás, where he is currently in prison.

According to the police, Barrerito is characterized as extremely dangerous. In addition to being convicted for the assasination of Expedito Ribeiro de Souza, he is charged with two other homicides in Rio Maria.

In light of the seriousness of this situation, I am joining with the Pastoral Land Commission of the South of Pará, the Rio Maria Committee, and the Union of Rural Workers to request urgent measures to investigate the assassination of Wilismar Pereira de Souza and to bring about the capture of Barrerito, in order to avoid more murders.

I would be most grateful for your attention to these matters.

Sincerely,

(YOUR NAME)